Dialogue: Plenty to look forward to in a fair, inclusive society

Our values of opportunity, fair play and security provide the basis for again building a responsible society, says PRIME MINISTER HELEN CLARK.

The Herald's series of essays on New Zealand's core values provides a valuable opportunity to reflect on what the Government is trying to achieve on behalf of New Zealanders.

In the fast lane of politics, one must guard against the risk of not seeing the wood for the trees. The hectic daily routine of meetings, issues management, parliamentary arm-wrestling and public engagements could, without a conscious effort, cause one to lose sight of the broader goals one is pursuing.

It is important that we step back from time to time and remind ourselves of our objectives, the principles which underpin them and the obligations which we have to one another.

In recent years there developed a feeling among New Zealanders that we were no longer the responsible society we once were.

Our Government seeks to rebuild that sense of responsibility to each other. Wounds have developed in our society which will take time to heal.

Three predominant values should underlie the policy decisions of economically and socially responsible governments.

They are a strong belief in opportunity, a strong belief in justice and fair play, and a quest for security in both the economic and physical sense.

These are certainly the values which guide our Government's efforts to build a responsible society.

It is the Government's belief in fairness, opportunity and security which causes us to regard education as a right and not a privilege, to ensure that access to health care is not determined by a family's income, and to ensure that families do not go hungry or homeless.

Those values are also reflected in other key policy objectives, such as ensuring dignity in old age and ensuring we do everything we can to make work, training and other meaningful activity available to all.

I know from the feedback I receive as Prime Minister that these are the sort of objectives around which our country can for the most part find common cause.

For example, when I speak at public meetings, such as those organised by Grey Power, there is always an enthusiastic response when I talk about the priority we are giving to workplace training for young people under the Modern Apprenticeships programme.

That programme is about opportunity, giving young people a chance in a competitive, fast-paced world. It is also about contributing to the nation's economic security.

In short, it is a policy which reflects our priorities as a nation.

New Zealanders do not generally subscribe to the view that governments should stand aside and hope for the best. There is wide acceptance that we have to invest in infrastructure, health services, education and skills.

If the cost of tertiary education and training is too high, participation is discouraged and opportunities are lost.

For that reason the Government has acted to ensure that tertiary education and training are more accessible and affordable.

In other areas of policy making we have set priorities which build on the values of security, fair play, inclusion and participation. The Government's aim is to even the odds and give people a better chance of succeeding.

More money is going into public education, especially into low-decile schools, because most New Zealanders depend on it for their children.

More money has gone into treatments in the public health system because most New Zealanders depend on it when ill.

New Zealand Superannuation payments have been boosted because most New Zealanders cannot make significant provision for their old age.

Income-related rents have been restored for state tenants so that state houses are once again affordable for those for whom they were built.

We invest in innovation because creative ideas and enterprising people are going to contribute to a more prosperous future for our country.

These public investments have to be made if the country is serious about creating opportunity. Without them inequality would deepen and social exclusion would intensify. That would be a tragedy for New Zealand.

As a country we can be excited about the future. Through policies of inclusion, based around our values of opportunity, fair play and security, we can again build a responsible society in which we are proud to live.

By ignoring the steps necessary to build an inclusive society, we would pay the price many times over in educational failure, unemployment, sickness and the incalculable costs of crime.

That should not be a price any New Zealander is prepared to pay.

What are our core values?

Helen Clark - Labour

Opportunity * justice and fairplay * security

Jenny Shipley - National

Opportunity * freedom * the right to choose

Jim Anderton - Alliance

Opportunity * security

Peter Dunne - United Future

Family * Community responsibility

Jeanette Fitzsimons - Greens

Sustainability * justice * participation

Winston Peters - NZ First

Embracing ethnic diversity as one people

Richard Prebble - Act

Can do culture * results matter

Herald Online feature: Common core values

We invite to you to contribute to the debate on core values. E-mail dialogue@herald.co.nz.